Former President Bill Clinton delivers a speech at the Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit at The Ritz-Carlton resort in Dana Pointon January 14, 2013. (Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register) LEONARD ORTIZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

YORBA LINDA, Jon R. Appel: It should not surprise anyone that former President Bill Clinton would change his mind on the Defense of Marriage Act given the marital scandals he was involved in before and after its passage ["Dump the Defense of Marriage Act," Opinion, March 9]. At the time, it seemed like a political convenience to bolster his moral capital.

Former President Bill Clinton delivers a speech at the Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit at The Ritz-Carlton resort in Dana Pointon January 14, 2013. (Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register)

Instead of repealing DOMA, why not change the laws that prevent gays from benefitting from the same perks that married people have earned? Thousands of years of tradition should not be thrown out, and the definition of marriage should not be changed.

Marriage is between a man and a woman. The federal government should get out of the marriage debate and allow states to establish policies and procedures that level the benefit field between gay couples and married couples. Leave marriage alone – change the other laws.

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COSTA MESA, John Doan: The vast majority of same-sex marriage supporters voted for former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama while they both previously supported either DOMA or traditional marriage.

I did not hear anyone label either of these presidents as "haters" as a result. These supporters say that we who disagree with them discriminate, and that people should be allowed to marry whomever they want. They claim that their position will provide full "equality," yet they disregarded the concept of three or more to marry from their movement.

When I've asked many of them why they are haters and discriminators of multiple-partner marriage, they almost always say, "That's different." Then I ask what the difference is and they answer, "Marriage has always been about two people." Based on their hypocritical appeal to tradition in this case, it's clear that the same-sex marriage movement is not really about equality but about indoctrination. If same-sex marriage becomes law, some activists will use federal courts to sue churches and other traditional groups as discriminators, which will lead to punishments that will weaken these institutions.

If their beliefs were really about full "equality," as they claim, they would have supported multiple-partner marriage.

Blaming the Republicans

PLACENTIA, George Eazell: Letter-writer Larry Cousens claims the Republican majority in the House of Representatives has not passed a single jobs bill ["A good president," March 9].

That's not true. Since January alone, House Republicans have passed 27 bills to create jobs, and every one of them is awaiting action in the Senate.

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TUSTIN, Dale K. Babb: Since the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives a little more than two years ago, they have passed numerous pieces of legislation to spur the economy and get people back to work. These pieces of legislation are dead once they arrive on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's desk. Further, the Republican-led House has also passed a budget, something the Senate has failed to do for now more than four years.

I'm glad to see that President Barack Obama is finally meeting with legislators from both sides to act as the negotiator he should have been all along. Perhaps we may finally be able to move forward to solve the problems facing this nation.

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FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Bonnie Kron: Larry Cousens derides Republicans for not producing jobs. It is not the responsibility of the government to create jobs. It is government's responsibility to create an environment that makes people willing to invest their own money to start new businesses and hire people. When have more regulations and higher taxes ever done that?

Flights of policy fancy

IRVINE, Kenneth Taylor, retired airline executive: The Transportation Security Administration will allow knives no longer than 2.36 inches in carry-on luggage [Front Page, March 6], but you can also carry small bats, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks and two golf clubs. This must make everyone feel safer.

One has to wonder if TSA authorities ever looked at a ski pole, with its 6-inch steel pointed tip. As a result of the government's overreaction after 9/11, we now have the TSA. The terrorist attacks accomplished what the terrorists sought to. They not only killed thousands of people, but helped to disrupt the greatest airline industry in the world.

We must wait in long lines to be searched, remove our shoes and be patted down by a TSA representative. And for what?

The airline industry took care of the problem as the manufacturers installed cockpit doors that cannot be breached. Never again will the flight crews open the cockpit door to any threat.

TSA is obsessed with the idea that terrorists will again try to use aircraft. I feel better knowing that no one onboard has a knife longer than 2.36 inches, but now I worry about being hit with a golf club or a ski pole. Oh yes, they took away my nail clippers on my last flight, so do not try to sneak them past the TSA.

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HUNTINGTON BEACH, Kenneth L. Zimmerman: The revised TSA rules make no sense. They have now decided that it is OK to bring a sharp object, like a small knife, in carry-on luggage.

However, passengers still can't bring beverages or products like mouthwash, lotions or toothpaste unless they are 3 ounces or less and in a clear plastic bag. A person wielding a knife is capable of doing more damage than if he or she used any of the prohibited items mentioned.

Sending Egypt money

LAGUNA BEACH, Dave Connell: Charles Krauthammer's column "Aid to Egypt was misdirected" [March 8] was pretty much right on. Egypt is now under control of Muslim radicals – the Muslim Brotherhood – and giving their politicians support of any kind is not only a waste of money, but, worse, it will be used against us.

It is disappointing that Secretary of State John Kerry recently handed over $250 million of our money to Egypt – money better used here.

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NEWPORT BEACH, Bruce Major: In one of his initial actions, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the release of $250 million in foreign aid to Egypt. That, however, is just the initial payment on approximately $1.5 billion total aid that Egypt will receive this year. When are we going to have a foreign policy that distributes aid based on demonstrated performance?

It's not like we don't have worthy causes in the U.S. that are telling us the end is near for them if they don't get back their 2.4 percent from the sequester.

It was refreshing to read the piece about local hero Tom Walsh ["I'm here for you," Local, March 11]. Then I saw the Faith & Values section – not just an article but a whole section. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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